Color and Influences of Culture and Gender

Color	Influence
Red	In China, a symbol of profound good luck. When mixed with white, this intensifies. More women choose red over blue.
Blue	The color of immortality in many Eastern countries, blue is the color of holiness for the Jews, and it represents Krishna in Hinduism. It is revered throughout the world and, as a result, is considered to be the most globally safe color. Men prefer blue to red.
Green	Associated with money in the United States but not necessarily in other cultures. Green has strong emotional associations in Ireland, where it represents Irish Catholic nationalists. Women can identify more named hues of green than men.
Orange	In the United States, a tradition in packaging design is to use orange to signify inexpensive items. When designing with orange for business sites, it’s important to bear this in mind. Orange has strong emotional connotations for the Irish, as it represents Protestantism. Men prefer orange to yellow.
Yellow	A sacred, imperial color in Asian cultures. Women prefer yellow to orange and associate it with warmth and optimism.
Violet	Associated with mourning in Europe. It is also associated with newage and alternative religions, so it can be considered controversial. Violet is found relatively rarely in nature: a few species of flowers and some saltwater fish.
Brown	A neutral color both culturally and gender-wise.
Black	Mourning and death in most Western cultures and many others, too.
White	Mourning and death in most Asian cultures. Purity and chastity in most of Western society.

Psychological Associations with Common Colors

Color	Associations
Red	Power, energy, love, passion, aggression, danger
Blue	Trust, conservative, secure, clean, sorrowful, order
Green	Nature, earth, health, jealousy, renewal
Orange	Fun, happiness
Yellow	Optimism, hope, philosophy, cowardice
Violet	Royalty, mystery, religion
Brown	Reliability, comfort, endurance, earth
Gray/silver	Intellect, futurism, modesty, sadness, decay, elegance
Black	Power, sexuality, sophistication, mystery, fear, unhappiness, death
White	Purity, cleanliness, precision, innocence, sterility, death